The Wrong Guy AKA Shuriki's Revenge
by kim.willbee
Summary: Elena's feeling lonely thanks to something King Hector's spoilt daughter, Princess Veronica, said to her. suddenly, out of nowhere, serendipidously, Elena meets a guy with whom she almost immediately gains an attraction to. but, is her newfound relationship with him causing some of her other friends to feel left out, specifically a very heartbroken Gabe?
1. Flashback to the Royal Retreat

The Wrong Guy AKA Shuriki's Revenge

Naomi Turner saw that her best friend and the crown princess of Avalor was feeling a little down and out. Naomi decided to see exactly what made Elena feel so sad. She got Mateo deAlma, the royal wizard, and Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez to come with her to see what was wrong with Elena Castillo Flores.

Naomi: What's the matter with you, Elena?

Mateo: Yeah, you're usually in such a good mood, right, Gabe? Gabe?

Gabe was just staring at Elena. Mateo had to snap his fingers to get Gabe out of his trance-like state.

Gabe: Uh, what? Oh, oh yeah! So happy! What's wrong, now, Princess?

So, Elena told her friends what she was feeling so sad about. It was something that King Hector's daughter had told her on a recent trip to his royal retreat.

Elena: Oh, it's nothing, guys. I'm just upset about something that annoyingly bossy King Hector's daughter, Princess Veronica, said to me about love.

They all remembered that little vacation where the King Hector's retreat was set up to include the entire family. Since the four of them were very close friends, Elena took all of them on the trip to Hector's retreat, as well.

flashback

Elena and her family were in the middle of their royal retreat with old royal friends; King Joaquin of Cariza, King Lars of Maarswick, and King Raja of Napurna. King Hector did host the retreat, again. Worse than that times infinity was that he had not learned his lesson from the last time Elena encountered all of them. This time, however, all the kings had their queens and heirs at their sides, with Elena as the only single ruler at the retreat. King Hector had Queen Erica along with their teen daughter, Princess Veronica; King Joaquin, of course, had Queen Teressa and their daughter, Princess Caterina (who had already proven to have a lot in common with Elena's sister, Princess Isabel); King Lars had Queen Galina along with their teen daughter, Svetlana, and their young son, Lev (who was about Isa and Caterina's age); and King Raja had Queen Kania along with their teen daughter, Bindi, and young twins, a girl named Sari and a boy named Ravi. Meanwhile, Elena just had her family, her best friend, her royal wizard, and her royal guard. She also had her jaquins. But, none of them had expected the other rulers to bring their entire families.

King Hector: I see you're the only single ruler at this retreat. You are aware that this is also a royal couples retreat. It is also a retreat for royal families, but there are no commoners allowed at this retreat. I regret to say that I'm gonna have to ask your non-royal friends to leave, at once. Well, I don't regret it that much.

King Hector guffawed in a completely unkind way. Princess Veronica laughed at Elena with her father. Clearly, Princess Veronica was her father's daughter with her attitude. Queen Erica felt the need to make them apologize, but she stopped in her vocal tracks when her husband glared at her to do the same. She laughed rather uncomfortably.

King Hector: Or perhaps I'll let your commoner friends stay, considering I'm feeling nice this year. You may have thwarted my attempt to catch those marposas, but you did inspire me to get my little girl some learning in her brain with the mention of building a school. So, I guess I should thank you for that much.

Princess Veronica: Daddy, you mean this was the mean, nasty princess who stopped you from capturing those two marposas? She's even uglier than you said she was; and that dress doesn't look impressive, either. Such a hideous shade of red.

It was clear that Princess Veronica was trying put Elena down with such talk. Princess Veronica was like a mean girl among princesses; and she was quickly proven as a spoiled brat, too. That was when the other rulers' children tried to stand up for Elena. Princess Cat knew the Avaloran royal family the best from the time of the Olaball game during their Peace Festival. So, she led the way in standing up against this not-very-classy princess.

Princess Caterina: You may be a princess, but you sure don't have the class of a royal heir. It doesn't matter who you are. You can never talk like, least of all to a fellow princess.

Princess Svetlana: Exactly! Are such comments really appropriate or even acceptable for princesses to say?

But, Princess Veronica out spoke Princesses Cat and Svetlana by bossing them around the same way her father did to their fathers.

Princess Veronica: I don't know. Is it really princess-like behavior for all you to contradict me when my father owns the resort at which you're all staying for this retreat?

With that, Princess Svetlana faltered back and lowered her head to Veronica in defeat. She could see the shame towards her in King Lars and Queen Galina's eyes. Princess Svetlana held out her hand towards Princess Elena.

Princess Svetlana: I'm sorry I didn't try harder to defend you. Please, forgive me.

Princess Veronica got on Princess Svetlana's case about her attempt to apologize to Princess Elena.

Princess Veronica: Hey, Svetlana! You better not be trying to apologize to that unsightly Elena or else you and Prince Lev are gonna pay.

Prince Lev: But, you're the one who's being a mean girl. So, if anyone should adjust their attitude, it's you.

Princess Veronica: Enough, you little insect! This is the way we do things around here; you either do what my daddy says, or you'll be asked to leave.

Princess Svetlana: Pardon YOU, Veronica! Nobody gets to call my brother an insect except for me, and I don't even do it, myself! You're being a mean girl, Veronica. You can't force us to do what you always want us to do. Crown Princess Elena was right when she stopped your father from capturing those two marposas_ especially since he was only doing it for the benefit of having another sea creature just to show off in his aquarium.

Princess Bindi: I agree! He didn't even need those marposas in his aquarium. Besides, a real aquarium is supposed to be a place of sanctuary for wayward sea life.

Princess Veronica: Do you two remember when I said you were gonna pay if you tried to make things comfortable here for ugly Elena, the two of you still have that hanging over your dumb brunette heads. So, I would watch your mouths, if I were you! And, now, Bindi, you just included yourself in those words.

That was when Princess Veronica proved to be a spoiled brat in front of all the other rulers and their families.

Crown Princess Elena: Let's just try to get along with each other. If not for life, then at least 'till the retreat ends.

Princess Elena wanted to mend things up with King Hector, even if he was very bossy. She thought the best way to do it was by bonding with his daughter, but that was going to be easier said than done because Princess Veronica was as inconsiderate as her father_ perhaps even more.

Princess Veronica: So, Princess Elena, did you know that there's a way for you to become queen even before you've come of age?

With this in mind, Princess Veronica suddenly had Elena's undivided attention.

Crown Princess Elena: What do you mean by that? I thought there was no other way to become queen than to wait to come of age.

Elena didn't suspect it, but this was not intelligence information. It was yet another way that Veronica was planning to single Elena out.

Princess Veronica: There is, actually. Only condition is you have to get hitched to a prince.

Elena didn't want to think this was true. She knew she'd have to marry someday (if she wanted to have a child or two who would act as her heir for when she was no longer in power), but she wanted it to be someone she could love.

Crown Princess Elena: I don't think I want to hear anymore. I'm just not ready to get married; and even if I was ready for such a commitment, I would wanna wed someone I could love.

Princess Veronica: Oh, are you too afraid of the commitment? Are you gonna try to cheat on your king consort just like the ugly girl you are? Even dating someone is more of a maturity thing for everyone.

Veronica then spun Elena around with the streamer paper she wrapped around her while Veronica was saying the things she said to Elena. The force of it caused Elena to spin around very fast. After that, she felt so dizzy in her head that she almost fell to the floor. Luckily, Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez was there to catch her in his arms. He held onto her until she had fully recovered from her dizziness. Only problem with the way Gabe held Elena in his arms was that he held her half bridal-style. The others all got excited by the sight_ all of them except Veronica, of course.

Princess Bindi: Crown Princess Elena, since when do you have such a handsome man to catch you whenever you fall?

Princess Svetlana: Da! I wish I could have a guard or any other kind of male servant with such youthful strength. I would be good to this boy, if I were you.

Gabe just blushed at all the admirations of Elena's relationship to him from Princesses Svetlana and Bindi. Elena was unaware of Gabe's blushing. In fact, she didn't even know he felt that way about her. In her eyes, the two of them were just friends with Naomi and Mateo; and that was how she wanted to keep it, especially since she unknowingly let Veronica's comments about marrying a prince get to her. But, she decided to keep that a secret from everyone else.

Crown Princess Elena: Don't get cute like that. Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez, my royal guard, and I are just friends. My other friends that I invited here are Mateo deAlma, the Avaloran royal wizard, and Naomi Turner from my grand council. All four of us are just friends, and that's the way it's gonna stay.

Princess Veronica: Exactly! Why would any princess wanna go out with her guard, when she could have a prince?

Crown Princess Elena: I never said I would choose to wed a prince over my royal guard. I just said he was just a friend.

Elena was so busy trying to tell Veronica that she wasn't ready to be married, she didn't even notice Gabe feeling put out by her comment about the two of them being just friends. Mateo and Naomi went to help him up. As soon as he had been helped by Mateo and Naomi, Gabe just folded his arms and leaned his back against the wall behind them. Elena and Veronica stepped out of the room to argue over the subject of love. The princes and the other princesses went after them to make sure nothing went too far.

Mateo deAlma: At least, she thinks of you as a friend, which means that she does know you exist.

Naomi Turner: Yeah! I mean, Elena might not like you the same way you like her, but you're just happy to have her in your life any way she can be a part of it, right?

Gabe was feeling too sad about Elena not noticing how he felt about her to even consider their words comforting. But, he started to perk up a little at his own monologue about standing up for Elena.

Gabriel Núñez: I don't know why you thought I would find that comforting, but it wasn't. Other than my family, Princess Elena is the person I love the most in the world. My life during Shuriki's reign as the tyrannical, evil queen of Avalor was a living hell. Elena's return to Avalor made everyone happy, and I wanted to do something to give back to her that would also impress her. Princess Veronica is the ugliest princess on this trip in my eyes, and I don't care that her father is the host of this retreat. She has no right to talk like that to or about Elena. When the princesses get back, I'm so gonna give Princess Veronica a piece of my mind about the way she's been treating my beloved Elena. I'm gonna stand up for the one I love even if she does think of me the same way she thinks of all our other friends.

Mateo deAlma: Listen to yourself, Gabe. You need to accept that Elena only sees you as a friend. I get it! Love can be hurtful at times, but you should be happy if she's happy.

Naomi Turner: You should listen to Mateo. You need to consider Elena's feelings. That's what love is all about, you know.

Gabriel Núñez: I'm planning to stand for her as her friend as well as a guy in love. I don't mind this Princess Veronica insulting our friendship, but no one, not even another princess, calls Elena ugly on my watch.

Mateo deAlma: So, Princess Veronica thinks that way of Elena. It's just her opinion.

Naomi Turner: Yeah, not everyone in our lives has to like us. Besides, it was King Hector who called Elena ugly first.

Gabriel Núñez: No, it's not just her opinion. Princess Veronica was doing it just to be mean. She was trying to put Elena down just to be mean.

The royal heirs and their siblings came back into the room, where Gabe did, indeed, give Princess Veronica a piece of his mind about the way she'd been treating Elena.

Gabriel Núñez: Princess Veronica, I'd like to have a word with you, right now!

Princess Veronica: Alright, Royal Guard boyfriend! Talk to me! Say whatever it is you wanna say!

Gabriel Núñez: You have got to stop talking trash about Princess Elena and calling her ugly! She's the farthest thing from it, which is more than I can say about you!

With those words fresh in the room, everyone gasped, especially Veronica. But, Hector and the other kings had stepped into the room in time to those words come from Gabe's mouth. King Hector and Princess Veronica were not going to Gabe's insult lying down. Even if he was just trying to stand up for his beloved, Gabe ruined Elena's chances of mending things with King Hector with that comment about his daughter.

King Hector: Why would you even try to defend Princess Elena? To win her love, I suppose! Please! Not only are you stuck in the friend zone with her, but your also just her guard.

Princess Veronica: Of course, and it's not like you're ever going to be her Prince Charming. That role should go to an actual prince, if she ever finds a prince with bad enough taste to like her! ha-ha!

King Hector then went to talk with Elena, or rather to taunt her. It was obvious that he was going to say something to her that would not be good to say or hear.

King Hector: I hope your dumb guard is happy, Elena, because his insult to my daughter just ruined the retreat for everyone here.

The other kings tried to reason with Hector about sending them all back to their kingdoms, but to no avail.

King Lars: I think you can make just one exception, can't you? I mean, the boy was simply trying to stand up for the ruler of his land.

King Raja: Besides, it is more Princess Veronica's fault that things went this way. Forgive me for saying this, but your daughter was being rather unkind to Princess Elena with everything she had said.

King Hector: You will all be sorry you said such things. One more word like that from any of you, and I shall relieve you all of the gifts I gave you from the past retreats.

Princess Veronica: You all better listen to my dad. He knows how to hand out retreat gifts and intimidate people into doing what he wants them to do.

They all agreed to do what King Hector and his daughter wanted to do this time around, even King Joaquin. All of them were going against their best judgements, but none of them wanted to risk upsetting King Hector again when he had given them a second chance.

Crown Princess Elena: It's OK, everyone. My group will leave, and we won't cause any of you any more trouble than my guard already to Princess Veronica. Come on, everyone. Let's go. It's time for us to leave, anyway.

King Joaquin: Crown Princess Elena, you and your friends and family don't necessarily have to leave the retreat, especially not this prematurely.

Queen Teresa: Yes, your majesty. Please stay, even if only for a little while longer.

Naomi Turner: Maybe we should stay a little bit longer, since King Joaquin and Queen Teresa are offering us to stay.

Crown Princess Elena: No, we should just go back to our own home kingdom of Avalor, so as not to make things worse than Gabe already has.

Mateo deAlma: Technically, Elena, it was more Princess Veronica's fault than it was Gabe's. She was the one who kept on insulting you all that time, after all. Gabe was just standing up for you.

King Lars: Your two other friends are correct, Crown Princess Elena. It was not your guardsman's fault that Princess Veronica repeatedly insulted you and treated you like you didn't belong.

King Raja: That is right, Crown Princess Elena. Yes, you could've stood up for yourself on your own. But, you should probably show some appreciation to your guard friend for at least trying to stand up for you.

Crown Princess Elena: That's not why I'm leaving the retreat this early. I'm leaving because since he gave a second chance to even me, I was hoping to make amends with King Hector by becoming friends with Princess Veronica. But, now the chance to mend things up with King Hector has been ruined, too.

After the royal Avaloran family and Elena's friends were on their way back to Avalor, Gabe decided to talk to Elena.

Gabriel Núñez: Elena, I know you're mad at me about your second chance at King Hector's royal retreat, but I don't know why you're taking the failed chance out on me. It was Princess Veronica who kept on giving you a difficult day out of nothing but spite.

Crown Princess Elena: I'm indeed mad at Princess Veronica for making my attempt to use my second chance to win King Hector's favor wisely. But, I'm mad at you for making it look like you and I were a couple to every other ruler at the retreat. Do you even know how embarrassed I was by that? And what about when I specifically said that you, Mateo, Naomi, and I are all just friends? Did you snuff out that insight? Or were you just ignorant of it?

Gabriel Núñez: Can't one of your closest friends at least dream of being with you? I mean, I can dream, can't I?

Crown Princess Elena: I need you to hear this; I only like you as a friend, just like with Mateo and Naomi.

end of flashback


	2. Elena Friendzones Gabe and a Stalker

Elena: Well, I suppose I should head back to the palace if I want there to be any dinner left for me when I get to the dining hall. Gabe, would you drive me back to the palace?

Gabe suddenly grew happy thinking that Elena was finally liking him back. What he didn't remember about that request was that it was his job to act as her escort home, being her royal guard and everything.

Gabe: I'd be thrilled to escort you back to the palace, my lovely princess!

Mateo: Gabe, you do know that she meant you driving her back to the palace, right? Because it's your job?

Naomi: Besides, it's not like Elena's in love with you. Just accept your position in her life like a normal friend, which is what you are to her. as in "just a friend".

Gabe: Come on! Just because she said she wants to act as her escort, doesn't mean it's just a get together between two friends.

Elena: Actually, Gabe, it really **is** just a get together between two friends, and not even that. It's really just my guard driving me back to the palace, like Mateo said.

Gabe: Eh-he, right! You didn't happen to hear me calling you "my lovely princess", did you? _Please say "no"! please say "no"!_

Elena: Yeah, I did hear that part. You need to learn keep your thoughts of love more discreet in the future.

Gabe: _Oh no! I had to add the word 'lovely', too! Nice going, Gabe!_ You won't mention it to anyone at the palace, will you? Even your family? _She's gotta say "no" about_ _ **this**_ _, right? RIGHT?_

Elena: I'll cut you some slack and not mention it anyone. I still like you, but just as friend.

Girl's voice: So, that would mean you're available, right, Gabriel Núñez, my handsome boy?

Suddenly, at the sound of the voice, Gabe tensed up greatly. All of a sudden, he wanted to get out of the town square as fast as they could. Gabe knew who was on her way here, and he didn't like it one little bit.

Gabe: I'm sorry that we got held up, Princess Elena, but now would be as good a time as any to head back to palace.

Elena: Hold on, Gabe, where's that girl's voice coming from? Is there someone you're trying to hide from?

Gabe: Yes, there is, and I can't believe she came back to Avalor. If she finds out where I work, I'm done for!

Elena: Why in the world would you be done for if 'she' found out that you were working as a_

Gabe suddenly shushed at Elena, which was something he never thought he would to her, of all people. Clearly, Gabriel Núñez was determined that Elena Castillo Flores keep his job at the palace a complete secret from whoever 'she' was. So, Elena decided to follow Gabe's orders for once and speak far more quietly.

Elena (whispering voice): _ that you were working as a royal guard at the palace, and furthermore who is this girl you're this desperate to avoid?

Gabe: Her name is Valeria Rodriguez. She's sort of has a stalker-type crush on me, and it's very annoying.

Elena: Whoa, there, hypocrite! I don't think you should someone who has a crush on you annoying! You don't see me calling you annoying for having a crush on me.

Gabe: It's annoying because she doesn't give me a hint of personal space in her psychotic pursuit of her stalker-like affections for me being returned.

Elena: Oh, yeah, I guess I'd find that kind of attention from someone of the opposite gender annoying if I were in your shoes, and I suppose when compared to that, your unrequited love for me isn't all that bad.

Gabe: It's not because she's ugly or anything. Don't get my repulsions towards her wrong; there was a time during when I was a kid that I actually was even a little attracted to her, but I eventually began to see her as more of an older sister than actual ideal girl material. But, she still persists the idea of me still being in love with her to point where she threatened to kill me if I didn't ask her to marry me when we were both of the appropriate marital age.

Elena: Oh, my sanity! How did you deal with that sort of peer pressure?

Gabe: I said I would ask her once I was finally old enough to get married. She's already old enough for it.

Elena: How is it possible that Valeria Rodriguez is already of marital age while you're not?

Gabe: I did tell you that Valeria was older than me, didn't I?

Elena: No, you didn't, oh! I suppose you meant that when you said you started to see her as more of an older than a crush. Well, aren't you two years older than me?

Gabe: Not like her age compared to mine. She's seven years older than I am.

Elena: Ooh, that is a rough age difference for a boyfriend and a girlfriend to have. What about her looks? You said it wasn't because she was ugly.

Gabe: Admittingly, Valeria was a cute girl when I knew her as a kid.

Gabe and Elena decided to look over their hiding place in search of Valeria. They eventually found her, and she still resembled a cute little girl, despite being twenty-six years of age.

Elena: That's Valeria Rodriguez? She looks like a grown woman wearing a little girl's face.

Gabe: Yep, that would be Valeria, and since she could hear from miles away from where we are I guess that she must've used her dog that has extra sensitive hearing, Patricia.

Elena: She trained the dog to have that good of hearing?

Gabe: She doesn't train dogs, she hypnotizes them with her special dog whistle to heighten their sense of hearing drastically. She doesn't really care that the hypnotic command on the dogs slightly weakens them after the use of it.

Elena: Oh, my kindness! So, she's really that bad, even at considering how others feel?

Gabe: Yep, she doesn't really about her methods to track me down, or who gets along the way. All that matters to Valeria Rodriguez about all of that is succeeding at getting me to be her husband.

Elena: What about the part of your explanation about Valeria where you mentioned the part of your ideal girlfriend? Is that really how you see me? Is that why you would do anything I ask of you and why you tried your hardest to stand up for me at King Hector's Royal Retreat when his daughter, Princess Veronica, kept putting me down? Is that why you're always trying your absolute hardest to look good in front of me, why you have that much trouble being yourself when I'm around? Am I really the love of your life?

The more of the questions Elena asked him about the subject, the deeper the shade of red Gabe blushed. When she asked the final question, his blush became so red, Gabe felt he may faint from his heart beating that fast. So, Elena decided to return the favor he did her at the Royal Retreat and keep him from fainting. His eyes felt dizzy, his mind had gone hazy, and he felt completely overwhelmed by his own feelings of love towards her.

Gabe: Yeah, I feel that way about you, Elena my love. You're the one for my heart, the light of my life, the reason I try so hard to be a royal guard.

Little did Gabe know through his love-drunk state that he had just stood up and announced that he was a royal guard working at the palace for everyone to hear, everyone including Valeria Rodriguez. She suddenly knew not only where Gabe was hiding from her, but also where he worked. But, the biggest thing of all she found out was who currently had Gabe's heart.

Valeria Rodriguez: So, the crown princess of Avalor thinks she has the right to steal my boyfriend just because of her position on the throne? Well, I'll show her, and best of all, I know just who to get in order to deal with her. You'll see, my beloved Gaby Núñez. One day you will fulfill your promise to marry me.


	3. Shuriki's Return, an Unseen Corruption

Gabe suddenly realized all that he done and said, and rushed Elena to get in the coach to head back to the palace. As soon as Elena had climbed into the coach, Gabe desperately tried to mount his position on the driver's seat. Gabe whipped on the reins for the horses to get going. Mateo and Naomi, who had watched the whole thing, were left standing on the street corner with a speedy wind flowing where they were.

Mateo: What just happened, and what's the matter with Gabe?

Naomi: I don't know. I'm more worried about how fast they're going. Elena might get injured trying to stay in the coach with it going that fast.

Mateo: You're right. Elena could get hurt trying to stay in the coach at speed. Gabe, too. It doesn't matter that Gabe wants to avoid this Valeria Rodriguez, he should think with his head, rather than his heart, which he hasn't been doing much of, lately.

Ironically, Valeria did not even follow Gabe and Elena. She was going to the outskirts of the very kingdom of Avalor to get help in her insane-beyond-comprehension pursuit of her unruly relationship with Gabe. Valeria had a dirty little secret she had been nursing ever since she came back.

Valeria: I hope you weren't waiting for me to come back here for very long. I'm really sorry I had to leave alone for so long.

A mysterious voice spoke from where Valeria was talking to. It sounded unfriendly to the extreme, evil even.

Mysterious voice: I just hope you brought what I needed to look younger. You know I don't like looking this way. I've so many wrinkles, I'm unsightly.

Valeria: Join the club, Grandma! I just saw my boyfriend, Gabriel Núñez, and it seems as though he's forgotten his promise to ask to marry him when we're both of marital age. The time he's supposed to ask me is soon, and he was fawning over Crown Princess Elena like she was the only girl in the world, goodness knows why. So, I kind of need your generous assistance getting my Gabe to keep that promise of his to me, Queen Shuriki.

A/N: That's right, Valeria Rodriguez was going to Shuriki for help to get Gabe. Feel free to boo and hiss at Valeria, the person just psychotic enough to help Shuriki just to get what she wants.

Shuriki: While I would understand wanting to eliminate Elena, I hardly get why you would want to do it just to get a guy who you had to threaten into promising to marry you.

Valeria: The crown princess thinks she's so great, with her royal status; so much so, she thinks she can steal my Gaby's heart. I want you to show her that she can't.

Shuriki: I suppose I could exact revenge on her for attempting to throw in jail, twice. I should've suspected that she was saved by her own amulet when I tried to kill her the first time.

Valeria: You may not have to kill her just to push some distance between her and her friends.

Shuriki: What is **that** supposed to mean, you little stalking psycho of a grown woman with a little girl's face?

Valeria: When I was near them, I overheard **more** than just Gabe's unrequited crush on the princess with whom he's **clearly** stuck in the friendzone. Thanks to the corruptions of Princess Veronica from their time together at King Hector's royal retreat, Elena has become very self-conscious about who she marries and has gained the idea that she has to marry a prince.

Shuriki: So, how do you think I could ever take advantage of **that** as her weakness?

It took a few seconds, but the realization of how she could find an asset to her revenge in Elena's sudden lack of confidence about boys, princes, and marriage.

Shuriki: Wait, if Elena's lacking in confidence about boys, and if she thinks she's found her ideal prince, then there may be a way to win.

Valeria: Oh, I'm very positive that she could fall instantly in love with a prince who has every trait she desires in a husband. But, what if there's no prince like that?

Shuriki: I suppose if that would be the case, I would just have make a prince specifically for our dear Elena.

So, Shuriki worked and worked until she finally perfected the formula for the perfect prince for Elena. Valeria Rodriguez sprung him to life with her whistle, also giving him the power to completely manipulate Elena through her attraction to him.

The next day, at the palace, Isabel was working on another invention; Rico was once again teasing Gabe about inadvertently flirting with Elena because of his long-standing crush; Mateo was organizing his potions in his office; and Elena, Naomi, and Elena's cousin, Esteban, and grandparents were talking about Grand Council matters. When the Grand Council was finished with their matters, they had Isabel, Mateo, Gabe, and Rico outside, waiting for them. Isabel had finished working on her invention; Mateo was taking a break from organizing his potions; as for Gabe and Rico, well, Rico was still teasing Gabe about his crush on Elena, only now Rico was including kissing gestures through his lips for effect.

Isabel: I'm not sure if I wanna know, but what is Rico torturing Gabe about?

Rico: Gabe tried to get lucky with Elena and didn't even know he was doing it, again. Boy, does this guy have a crush on you, Crown Princesa!

Gabe had enough of Rico's teasing at that moment, so he tackled Rico. Elena took notice of this and, along with her cousin, tried to do something about it. Esteban took Rico from the tussle while Elena managed to get a hold on Gabe.

Elena: This has to stop, Gabe! I need you to understand that you're just my friend. If I did have to have boyfriend, you can't be him. I would need it to be a boy who had the same royal status as me. I was flattered and very touched by what you said yesterday that I'm the love of your life; really, I was, but you need to accept that you can't have me.

With her basically saying that she had to have a prince, the realization that she actually **did** let the cruel words of Princess Veronica get to her hit Gabe like an ólaball through the game's hoop.

Gabe: Wait a minute, you said you weren't going to let Princess Veronica's words from the retreat get to you. You lied about that, her put-downs about having to marry a prince even got to you the minute at the retreat she said them. I can't believe you would even **listen** to someone who's obviously saying stuff like that about you just to make you feel bad about yourself and for no other reason, much less let those words get to you.

Elena: Gabe, listen, I can explain!

Gabe then said something to Elena that he hoped he would never be saying to her; not in a lifetime, not even at the end of time.

Gabe: You're not the Elena I know and, now that it's out in the open, love. Who are you, and what have you done with the girl I love the most in world? She's a lot emotionally stronger and far more confident than you. I don't know what happened to her, but I have pretty good idea. I plan to do everything in my power just to find her again and get her back.

Elena: Gabe, you're being ridiculous. Did you ever think that this might be me, now?

Gabe: I know this isn't the real you, Elena, if that's really who you are! You didn't let King Hector control you the first time you went to his retreat.

Elena: What are you talking about, Gabe? Of course, I didn't let King Hector control me the first time I went to his retreat. Why would this time have been any different than that?

Gabe: I don't know how, but his spoiled daughter, Princess Veronica, seemed to have some kind of control over you with all the put-downs she was giving you just to be mean.

Elena responded back to what Gabe said; but this time around, there seemed to be a hint of stuttering and a bit of hesitation in her voice.

Elena: N-n-no, she didn't have any_ control_ over m-me. S-sh-she wasn't just saying those j-just t-t-to put m-me d-d-down, either. It could've just_ been her opinion of me, that's all.

It didn't take long for Gabe to notice Elena's sudden speech impairment.

Gabe: You can't fool anyone, least of all me, into believing what you say when you stutter and hesitate like that. This year's royal retreat with King Hector as host has even robbed you of your confidence in your own speech capability. You can't even speak coherent and confident sentences now, thanks to Princess Veronica.

Elena finally accepted that there was something wrong with the way Princess Veronica treated her, and she started to cry at the acceptance of the fact. Gabe, thinking he had hurt her feelings, rushed to comfort Elena.

Elena: I'm sorry I wasn't being a very good friend to you at the end of the retreat or on the way back to Avalor from it. I guess Princess Veronica did get to me. I just wanted to make things right with King Hector after he gave me a second chance to impress him at his retreat. I thought the best way possible was to become friends with his daughter, Princess Veronica. Still, why would she have said all those mean things about me and only made it harder to make things right with King Hector?

Gabe: I can easily answer that question you ask about Princess Veronica. She's simply her father's daughter, and therefore is as much of a spoiled brat as he is.


	4. A New Prince Arrives

Elena: So, you think that she really was trying to make my mission to make amends with King Hector **that** difficult on purpose?

Gabe: It's the only explanation for her attitude towards you that makes sense to me.

New male voice: I think it's simply a matter of her opinion, though. It's this other princess's fault if she thinks that way of you.

Gabe and Elena looked to where the new voice was coming from. They saw a male teenager around their ages. He looked handsome, in Elena's eyes anyway. Suddenly, Elena agreed with this beautiful new stranger.

Elena: I guess your take on it could be right, too. I'm not going to be prejudice against Princess Veronica just because she thinks that of me, though. It's just her opinion. I'm Crown Princess Elena, by the way.

Handsome Stranger: It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Crown Princess Elena. I'm Prince Fernando of the kingdom of Zoratan.

Elena: Oh, "Crown Princess" isn't really necessary. You can just call me Elena, Prince Fernando.

Fernando: I am greatly sorry if including "Crown Princess" had offended you in any way. I'll be sure to be more careful in the future.

Elena: That's alright, Fernando. Everyone seems to think "Crown Princess" is needed when addressing me at first.

Then, the mysterious prince took Elena's hand and kissed it. Elena was so caught up in the handsome prince, that she had forgotten her royal guard was also in the room. Gabe was not pleased by this stranger kissing his beloved princess's hand, but the worst of it was that she actually enjoyed it. He almost ran interference when he remembered how the retreat ended, and that was just how it ended when he was trying to come to the crown princess's defense. She would've hated him forever if he tried to rob her of a chance at the love she wanted. Gabe would just have calm down a bit for now.

Gabe: Well, might as well introduce myself, too. I'm Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez, Elena's royal guard, and have I got my eye on you. Princess Elena's pride is in a delicate state right now thanks to that Princess Veronica. I swear, if you do anything that might hurt her feelings, you'll have me to deal with.

The Prince of Zoratan seemed rather unfazed by this little threat of the young royal guard. So, Gabe decided to turn up the heat on him.

Gabe: You'll_ also have the rest of the guard, a royal wizard, and her entire family on your case if you do anything that hurts her in anyway.

Fernando: Oh, you don't have to worry about me doing anything like that. She's far too beautiful to be worth hurting, in my opinion.

Elena: I'm sorry if he tried to intimidate you, Fernando. Why don't you go get a drink or read for a bit while I have a discussion with Gabe about respecting others, and then I'll take you to meet my family and the rest of my friends.

Fernando: Gracias, Elena. I guess I am feeling a bit parched. I think I'll go get that drink you suggested.

Elena: Armando, the chief of our castle, can guide you to the kitchen to get something to drink. Armando, you're needed for something.

Armando came out to the great hall as he was ordered.

Armando: You called, your highness? May I help you with whatever task you need assistance?

Elena: Yes, Armando, there's a visiting prince here who would like something to drink. Could you by any chance escort him to the kitchen?

Armando looked at his schedule for royal visits. He thought he might have missed something about a prince visiting for the day, for there was no royal visit scheduled for that day or anytime soon.

Armando: _Maybe, I just lost track of the timing of the royal visits. I need to spend less time worrying about imaginary creatures and more time focusing on things such as royal visits._ I'll escort this young man to the kitchen for his drink, Elena. What is your preference, Sir?

Fernando: My name is Fernando, and I would like a nice, ice-cold glass of agua.

Armando: This way to the kitchen for your water then, young Prince Fernando.

Armando and Fernando walked off to the kitchen, leaving Elena and Gabe alone. Gabe found it rewarding at first until Elena started to get on his case about his words and actions towards Alejandro.

Elena: What were you doing just now? What was all of that about? You should be ashamed of yourself.

Gabe: I should be ashamed of myself? What are you talking about, Elena? I didn't do anything wrong.

Elena: Except interrogate someone who has done nothing to prove himself to be danger to the kingdom.

Gabe: What are you talking about now? Oh, this is about Prince Fernando, isn't it? How can you possibly be this trusting towards someone you just met?

Elena: Look who's talking, Mister Hypocrite! You were the reason Fiero got into the castle during the ball for Mateo's official promotion to royal wizard. When Esteban wanted to throw Charoca out of Avalor without getting the whole story, you were right there with him.

Then, Elena said something that made Gabe feel completely broken inside of his heart.

Elena: What I cannot believe about you the most is that you have that stupid crush on me.

Gabe: How can a princess be this cruel? You know what? I don't care about it anymore. Have fun with your new prince.


	5. Gabe, the Heartbroken Royal Guard

Gabe walked out of the palace, and didn't go even to the guard barracks. He went back to his parents' home at the 'Núñez and Son' Bakery; however, he didn't even help them tend to the food. Gabe was so heartbroken about Elena he just went up to his old bedroom, in which he hadn't spent a single night since he became a royal guard. Several days later, he was still in room, and his mother was worried about him.

Blanca Núñez: Gabriel? Gabriel? Gabriel, you haven't been in your room this whole time, have you? It's not healthy for you to be in your for too long. Please, Mijo, come out at least to eat.

Gabe: I'm not hungry, mom. In fact, I may never eat again.

Roberto Núñez: Gabriel, come out of your room. I thought you would've wanted to go to the palace by now. You need to do something productive.

Gabe: Go away; because, I vow to never go back there, again. The only left in the world I'm safe is in my room.

Roberto: Then, if you're not interested in going back to the palace, you could work at the bakery.

Gabe finally came out of his room, but he came out smelling like death. Roberto and Blanca were coughing up a storm from their own son's 'fumes of depression', as he called them.

Roberto: After you take a shower_ or ten_ that is.

Gabe: Figures that you would try to use this situation to try to get to work at the bakery. I only came out of my room to get some air and maybe use the baño, too. (A/N: baño=restroom)

Roberto: Even if you don't want to do anything, could you at least clean yourself up and make yourself smell decent. You smell like you've died_ and then some.

Gabe: Oh, something died, alright. Inside me.

Blanca: What would that something be, Mijo?

Gabe: My heart, mama! That would be my heart.

Blanca: What is the matter, Mijo?

Gabe: Princess Elena is the matter with my broken heart. Can I go use the baño, now?

Gabe went to the baño. When he got out, he was cleared but not happy.

Gabe: I'm going back to bed. Wake me up never.

Roberto: Gabriel, if you think I'm going to let you waste the rest of your life away in bed, you have another thing coming!

Gabe got very angry with his father.

Gabe: You don't even get it, dad. No one I know does. The love of my life is Princess Elena, and she's now into some foreign prince whom she only just met.

Roberto: That was over a week ago. I'm telling you these things because I don't want you to waste your life on this matter.

Gabe: You're not going to get me out of my room unless Elena dumps the guy she barely knows. I'm going back to bed.

Gabe went back to his room and his self-incarceration. His mother was worried about him. His father just wanted him to get on with his life.

Gabe: He just doesn't understand how I feel. He never has. No one understands how I feel right now. My old room in my parents' house is the only place in the world I'm emotionally safe. Elena, how could you?


	6. Dreams of a Crown Princess

Gabe cried himself to sleep. After he fell asleep, he dreamt of Elena and being back at the palace.

"Fernando: Elena, you're very beautiful.

Elena: Gracias, Fernando mi amor. Shall you and I finalize our love with un beso? (A/N: amor=love, un beso=a kiss)

Fernando: Thought you'd never ask.

Elena and Fernando were leaning in for a kiss when Gabe made the scene, wearing a princely outfit. He also held in his hands a bouquet of long-stem roses and a heart-shaped box of Avaloran chocolates. Princess Elena fell for him upon seeing him for the first time in a while.

Gabe: I hope it would not be too presumptuous, but I brought these gifts for you, my beautiful princess. I hope you accept them.

Elena: Prince Gabriel! You're looking well, and you smell so nice.

Gabe: Why thank you, lovely Princess Elena. It's cherry blossoms. I just sailed in from the kingdom of Satu. King Toshi is very honorable.

Elena: Thank you, Prince Gabriel. I should expect nothing less from one of Avalor's trade partners.

Gabe: Please, call me Gabe.

Elena: Alright, Gabe.

Elena giggled. Gabe gave her the roses and the Avaloran chocolates. She gratefully and graciously accepted them.

Fernando: What exact kingdom are you from, Gabe?

Gabe: I came all this from the kingdom of Amorixa, and this is the treatment I get during my visit? Where are you from, my good sir?

Fernando: I come from Zoratan, sir. I've never heard of this Amorixa. Where exactly is it from Avalor?

Gabe: Oh, it's very far from the kingdom of Avalor. It's famous for its hundreds of species of flowers and multiple shades and colors of chocolate. They say Amorixa is the most romantic kingdom in the world. (A/N: Amorixa is a kingdom imagined in Gabe's dream, and it's a combination of all the most romantic cities in the world. Examples include Paris, France, Bahia, Brazil, and Venice, Italy.)

Elena: It sounds incredible, and you seem very romantic. Let's go on a date, Gabe.

Gabe: Thought you'd never ask. Where do you wish to go for our date, Princess Elena?

Elena: Princess isn't very necessary. Call me Elena. I would like to go to Café Ángelica for an amazing dinner. They have great paella.

Gabe: I like paella, too. We already have so much in common. I suppose you're going to follow us around just to get Elena back in love with you. Well, I will never let that happen.

Fernando: Please, don't hurt me. You're mean.

Gabe silently barked at him enough to intimidate Fernando. Then, Fernando ran out of the palace, screaming like a child.

Fernando: I'm getting out of this kingdom, and I'm never coming back.

Elena was shocked and confused by Prince Fernando of Zoratan's sudden cowardice.

Elena: Wow, what did I ever see in him?

Gabe: I don't know, but now you should lucky to be kissed by a real prince.

Elena was breathless at this thought.

Elena: Gaby!

Gabe went in for a kiss with the beautiful princess." He then woke up to the sight of making out with his own pillow, realizing it was just a dream.


	7. Love and Determination

Gabe: I can't even stay asleep long enough to kiss her in my dreams, anymore? That's it! I have to go back to the palace to get her to see that I love her.

Gabe suddenly smelled something revolting. He knew it couldn't have been anything in the bakery because his parents keep a sharp watch on their inventory, and throw out anything that has gone bad. Gabe doublechecked the smell and realized it was him. He smelled like death all over his body. Gabe plugged his nose to block out his own fumes.

Gabe: Oh, but I can't go see her at the palace smelling like this. I smell like a rotting corpse. Papa was right. I better shower.

So, Gabe took a shower, actually he took five showers before he finally smelled presentable to Elena. He went finally exited his parents' bakery to get flowers and Avaloran chocolates. His first stop was the flower shop from where he purchased a whole bouquet of long-stem roses. Then, it was off to the sweets store where he would buy a heart-shaped box of Avaloran chocolates. Gabe was in love with Elena, and it was still more than just that. He was determined to be the one to help his beloved get her confidence back after Princess Veronica had torn it down. He reached the palace by noon, but he first had to apologize to everyone for not being there for them, especially Fuego, his horse.

Gabe: Hey, Fuego! I'm sorry I have been there to feed you these past several days. I'm sorry to rest of you guys, too. Captain José, I promise I won't ever skip out on my duties again.

Captain José: Your heart was completely broken. You wouldn't have any use to my squadron, sobbing about your painfully ugly rejection.

Gabe: You knew what it was about?

Rico: Get with the program, will you, Gabriel?! The entire kingdom knows you're in love with Princess Elena.

Gabe felt more embarrassed than he ever had in his life before that point.

Gabe: Does the whole kingdom really know that?! I mean, that is so not true. I am so not in love with Elena. Hehe-he

Rico: First. you're not fooling anyone with that kind of recovery; Second. I was just kidding about the whole kingdom knowing you love her, because only a handful of people we're acquainted with know about it; and Third. the flowers and the heart-shaped box of chocolates are a dead giveaway.

Rico laughed so hard with his tease about Gabe's crush on Elena, but Gabe, on the other hand, was seething with anger about having been treated in such a way. Unlike the last time Rico teased him about his crush, Gabe felt the sudden need to stand up for himself; as a result, he pounced Rico against the wall of the barracks.

Rico: What is wrong with you all of a sudden? I was just kidding, you know, making a joke.

Gabe: Your joke wasn't funny. I was really terrified that everyone in kingdom knew. You're a good friend, but I hate your idea of a joke. I'm going to go to the palace to give these roses and chocolates to Elena, and nothing you say can stop me.

Rico: I wouldn't even try if I were you. She's so infatuated with that Prince Fernando of Zoratan, he's all she talks about. You go to see her, the only thing you're going to get from your beloved Elena is a heart that's broken even further.

Gabe: I am not going to listen to your teasing and jokes, Rico. I'm going into the palace since I just got myself cleaned up to see the Elena.

Rico: What?! You mean to say that you've been in bed at your parents' house the whole time you were gone? How many times did you have to clean yourself up just today alone?

Gabe: Stay out of my face, Rico. When she gets these roses and chocolates, she'll finally acknowledge how I feel about her.

Rico: Alright! It's your funeral, Gabriel Núñez. Or maybe I should say that it's your heart's funeral, rather than your own.


	8. Elena Ignores even Isabel

As soon as Gabe got into the palace though, he saw a sight he would never want to see in his life. He saw that Rico was telling the truth, and Elena was indeed fawning all over Prince Fernando to the point where he would be the only thing she thought about. Everyone else at the palace was being ignored by Elena, even her own family. Gabe wasn't giving up on his princess crush, especially now since she was even ignoring her own younger sister because of her infatuation with the Prince of Zoratan. He decided to give the both a piece of his mind; Fernando for stealing his beloved from him, their other friends and her family, and Elena for what seemed to be turning her back on even her own younger sister, Isabel. (A/N: it's really saying something if she's even ignoring her own sister because of him, isn't it?)

Gabe: What is going on around here? What do you have to say for yourself, Elena? I hope you have a good explanation for ignoring even your family for this guy, right here!

Elena: Come on, Gabe! Now, you're just being ridiculous. I haven't been ignoring anyone for Fernando.

Gabe: Oh, really? You're saying you haven't been ignoring even Isabel to spend all your time with him?!

Then, Elena said something that really did prove she too far caught up in Fernando's presence.

Elena: Who's Isabel?

Gabe and everyone else gasped at what they were hearing. Elena had even forgotten that she still had her family.

Fernando: Come along, dearest Elena. Let us go to the garden for some quality time. This atmosphere inside the palace is far too hostile towards you and me.

Gabe tried to stop them but tripped and slipped over an overripe banana into a wall. Mateo and Naomi rushed to his aid, but there was no one to go after Elena and Fernando, now. Gabe now had both a bruise and a lump on his forehead, along with a severe concussion; however, he could still see Elena head off with Fernando. He was tended to by the palace's medical staff to treat his concussion and lump. Gabe was given some medical ointment for his bruise, but he would still have to wait for it to fade away. As soon as Gabe could have visitors, Elena's sister, cousin, and grandparents came into the room.

Esteban: Lieutenant Núñez, may I be the first to say how genuinely grateful we are to have you back after all these days? But, we must get to the point.

Isabel: Gabe, we need help getting Elena back from Fernando. It's like he has her under a spell or something. She's not acting like herself, anymore.

Mateo: Isabel's right. Elena hasn't come to even one defensive magic class since Fernando came to the palace.

Esteban: Elena has been cutting the Grand Council meetings short since he arrived.

Naomi: She's been ignoring everyone in the palace. Even her own friends and family don't seem to matter to her, anymore. Not even her sister can take her attention away from Fernando.

Luisa: She constantly insists the kitchen staff makes what he wants to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, even when she doesn't even like such dishes, herself.

Esteban: Shockingly enough, all the dishes that Fernando wants to eat are foods I always thought only Shuriki liked to eat when she ruled over the kingdom.

Francisco: The fact that the foods are all the same dishes Shuriki liked is just a coincidence. It is my eldest granddaughter's newfound crush on this prince to point of which it is an obsession that has me worried.

Gabe tried to get up. When he failed due to his concussion, Isabel and her cousin, Esteban, rushed to help him up.

Gabe: I tried to talk to her about it, and look at what it did to me. I can't even walk without help, now. I have both a bruise and a lump on my forehead, and I have a concussion added to it. What am I supposed to do? She won't listen to anyone other than Fernando. Not to mention she's also gotten wrapped up in him enough to forget even her family's existence.


	9. A Strange Royal Visitor Arrives

Suddenly, a new presence joined their group. It wasn't any of the jacquins, but it was something with wings, nonetheless. Gabe looked behind him at what everyone else was looking at, and they all saw a strange creature like none any of them had ever seen before. It had silver bat wings on its back with a black crown-shaped pattern on the membrane. It had long, hip-length, and silvery hair on the top of its head. Its ears were long and pointed out. It even had the nose of a bat. It wore a fancy dress with a golden camouflage pattern, so it was a female what-ever-it-was. When this strange she-thing smiled at them, it was a toothy smile that showed her canine teeth as fangs. Everyone screamed at the sight of her at first. Gabe tried to act defensive towards this weird beast. Just then, she began to speak.

Strange creature: Whoa, Whoa, WHOA! Whoa, what's with all the screaming around here? I came all this way from my own island kingdom of Isla de la Monstrosa, and this is the welcome I get as visiting royalty, huh?!

Everyone was suddenly confused by this new notion. Mateo tried to call Gabe back from his stance, especially since the young guardsman could barely even stand on his own, but Gabe only listened to himself.

Gabe: Get back, vile creature! You'll not do anyone here harm on my watch.

The she-thing just pushed Gabe's sword out of her path as she advanced toward everyone else.

Strange creature: You might wanna put your sword away since you clearly can't even stand without help from others, and for the record, my name is Batilda, not "vile creature" as you called me. If you must know what I am, I'm a bat-humanoid and the princess of Isla de la Monstrosa. I've come to Avalor as visiting royalty. I have a mission of execution on the head of a certain EX-Queen Shuriki.

Gabe: Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Did you just say you have a mission to take Shuriki's life?

Princess Batilda: Yes, that is the false former Queen of Avalor who usurped the throne from its rightful rulers, King Raul and Queen Lucia.

Gabe: Correction; that was the false former Queen of Avalor. Isn't she dead, now?

Princess Batilda: Just because she fell of the bridge into the waterfalls below doesn't automatically mean she fell to her death. My king and queen of Isla de la Monstrosa sent me here to save Avalor from its evil former queen-wannabe. She survived her supposed fall of death and is hiding somewhere from the law. I've come here to inform Crown Princess Elena of her old enemy's still alive presence.

Gabe: If you're here inform Elena of such a thing, you can forget that mission. She's so wrapped up in her Prince Fernando of Zoratan, she won't even acknowledge anyone else, not even her own younger sister, Isabel, which is saying a lot.

Batilda: What are you talking about, guardsman? There's no Prince Fernando of Zoratan. In fact, there's no such kingdom as…

Gabe: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute! Prince Fernando isn't even from the kingdom of Zoratan?

Batilda: That's right, and as I was saying before you interrupted me, Zoratan isn't even real kingdom. As a matter of fact, there's not even any such place in the world as the Zoratan. But, there was an Zoratan Empire back in 917 BC. I just need to warn Elena that the tyrannical ex-queen is still alive.

Isabel: What do you mean that there's no kingdom of Zoratan, and what could've happen to the Zoratan Empire?

Batilda: I see none of you know of the history.

Batilda decided she needed a break, at least for telling these people the truth behind Prince Fernando.

Batilda: Very well! I suppose I need to bring you all up to speed about the truth of this Prince Fernando of Zoratan and all the lies you've heard come out his mouth.

Everyone gathered around Batilda. Gabe still had a lot of trouble standing up on his own because of his concussion from earlier, so Mateo and Naomi held him to his feet. Batilda told them the history of how the Zoratan Empire came to be in 941 B.C., the Empire's Golden Age from 2 B.C.-79 A.D., and the Empire's untimely fall from grace in 420 A.D.

Esteban: Surely, the Zoratan Empire must have risen from the ashes of its fall if there a prince visiting us from the kingdom of Zoratan.

Batilda: You would think so, but no such luck. The Empire did reach an era of rebirth, but the kingdom that emerged from the ashes of the once powerful Empire was not named Zoratan. It was given the name 'Lisseliosa'.

Gabe wanted Mateo and Naomi to let him try stand on his own, so they let him try to stand.

Gabe: I don't get why Fernando would say that he was the prince of Zoratan if it wasn't true.

Batilda: This Fernando character is working for Shuriki if he's telling such lies. I've come to warn Crown Princess Elena of her impending doom at the hands of the ex-queen wannabe. This is vital information that she needs to know.

Gabe: You won't be able to get her to listen to it the way she is now. Elena doesn't think about anyone besides Fernando, not even her own younger sister.

Batilda: That's why I need help this faux prince out of her head and get her to listen to me about the return of Shuriki that Isla de la Monstrosa foresaw that concerned Avalor.

Mateo: Your people can foresee the future?

Batilda: That's not the case with my people, entirely. Even in my kingdom, only a handful of my people can predict the future. My parents heard this news from a magma sapien soothsayer named Charica. Your people already know one of their kind.

Gabe: We do?

Batilda: Of course, you do! His name is Charoca. He was a friend of the royal family of Isla de la Monstrosa, until he moved to Avalor to defend the lava of a monfuego near a mountain village from Shuriki and her efforts to harvest the colorful, valuable crystalized rocks that are created from the lava when it cools. But, once Shuriki's reign over the people of Avalor came to an end, it only got worse for him until the crown princess and rightful heir to the kingdom's throne encouraged the villagers to make peace with Charoca rather than throw him out of the kingdom.

Gabe: We might've had something do with that plan to throw him of Avalor.

Naomi: "Might have" is putting it mildly when taking about that time.

Batilda: From what Charoca told everyone on my island kingdom, your people tried to throw him out without even once trying to get his side of the story.

Esteban: Excuse me, but how were we supposed to figure out he was mad about those children taking his rocks, huh?!

Batilda: Easy, ask him why he was angry enough to make your precious monfuego erupt. By the way, you should never ever make a face at a magma sapien like Charoca.

Gabe: Because it's rude to make a face at anyone?

Batilda: Because magma sapiens like him take the act of making a face at them as a challenge. They automatically take it as war. The little Damien boy who said that Charoca made a face at him, he probably made a face at Charoca first. Did you think of that when Damien and his family went to your Grand Council to complain about it?

Francisco: We are dreadfully sorry we assumed your friend who now lives our kingdom was a bad creature.

Batilda: I hope this conversation about my old family friend, Charoca, has taught you all a lesson about judging what you don't know. As for getting my information to your crown princess, I suppose it will get done faster if all of you split into pairs.

Armando: What about you? What will you be doing while we try to convince Elena to at least take a break from giving consistent attention to her false prince?

Batilda: I will go with the ones who try to talk to her. Once said people have found her, I will wait on the roof until it's alright for me to come down to go tell her my intelligence information.

Isabel: How will we decide who goes where and with whom?

Batilda then got a jar of straws she had gotten from her kingdom before leaving to warn them of Shuriki.

Batilda: You will draw straws. Each of the straws has a color that matches. You each will pick 1. So, in other words, we let fate decide who gets paired with whom. Then, you will decide amongst yourselves which duo will get which task.

Naomi: Sounds fair to me.

They all drew their straws. Francisco and Luisa drew the same color straw, Isabel and Esteban, Naomi and Mateo, and finally Gabe and Armando. Esteban and Isabel were going to look for a book or two on the Zoratan Empire. Mateo and Naomi were going to try to find a solution to Elena's infatuation with the false prince in Mateo's royal wizard's office. Francisco and Luisa were going to inform Captain José of the Avaloran royal guard, have him inform the rest of the guard and start a search for Shuriki. Gabe and Armando were going with Batilda to try get Elena to know who she had fallen for and tell her what she needed to know about her old enemy. Batilda knew Gabe would need support with his concussion, so she used her bat wings to help him stay standing and to walk.


	10. Insecurities of a Vampire Princess

Gabe: Thanks for helping me walk, bat creature. You didn't have to. I could've stood and walked on my own.

Batilda: Again, it's Batilda, and you couldn't be more wrong about not needing the support of my wings if you tried. You have a concussion, remember?

Gabe: So, I got hurt trying to bring Elena to her senses. I'll recover soon enough to help with this mission.

Batilda: Armando,

Armando: Yes, your bat-like highness?

Batilda: keep an eye on this 1 and make sure he doesn't get hurt any further than he already had been just before I arrived.

Armando: Will do, your monstrous majesty.

Batilda may not have looked like an average princess, but she did have a soul. She even genuinely cared about the creatures of her island kingdom. The royal family of her kingdom may have looked just like vampire bats, but what Batilda's family and kingdom wanted, more than anything, was to be understood by the rest of the world. Batilda didn't admit it, but sometimes the outside world was a little insensitive about creatures like her.

Batilda: I don't know if you knew this, but that sort of comment a little offensive to a creature like me.

Armando: Oh, my word! I am so sorry about calling you that. Had I known it was an offensive term to you, I never would've said such a thing.

Batilda: It's not your fault, Armando. My people are **always** judged in such a manner all the time, so we're used to it.

Armando: If you say so, your foreign majesty.

Batilda: You can just call me Batilda.

Armando: Isn't there supposed to be a "Princess" in front of your name, though?

Batilda: "Princess" is hardly ever necessary.

Batilda suddenly felt uncomfortable about being in Avalor, though. She knew she was doing this assignment for the sake of the kingdom her old friend, Charoca, now called home, but she still felt uneasy about being in the kingdom. Then, she remembered her mother's words of wisdom to her from before she left for her mission.

flashback

Batilda: Mother, please don't make me go into that kingdom. Our old friend, Charoca, described the people there to be especially judgmental. I don't wanna be judged by people like that.

Batilda's mother: It was just the 1 mountain village near the monfuego he now calls home, and it was just the children of that village who were judging and provoking him. Besides, the crown princess of that kingdom saved Charoca from being thrown out of his new home.

Batilda: But, her Grand Council didn't agree with her about him. They were on the village children's side.

Batilda's mother: She knew that he had a reason getting angry though, didn't she? She proved our friend's reason when she visited him the second time around. Then, her Grand Council believed her about Charoca, and now Charoca's cousin, Charica, has foreseen a future in which the evil ex-queen of the kingdom, Shuriki, returns to power and brings a whirlpool of death and destruction to Avalor, ending this kind crown princess's life in the process. We need you to go to the kingdom of Avalor and warn Crown Princess Elena of this evil returning. She must know the truth of her old enemy's collapse into a waterfall.

There was a knock at Batilda's door. It was her father. He was trying to get her and her mother to come out of her room because they were both needed.

Batilda's father: Come along, Batilda. You'll be going on your mission soon. Chiroptina, you're needed to help with the issues concerning the Royal Council.

Chiroptina: I'll be there in a minute, Batram. You'll do fine, Batilda. Just remember, you have to be brave. Even if they might judge you as a monster, you need to be strong.

Batilda: Alright, I'll do this for Charoca's sake and for this Crown Princess Elena's sake, as well. Any friend of Charoca's is a friend of Isla de la Monstrosa.

Batilda took off for the kingdom of Avalor, but not before saying her goodbyes to all her family and friends of her island kingdom of Isla de la Monstrosa. With a fond farewell from everyone, Batilda went off on her first assignment as the future queen of her kingdom; a mission to help protect the kingdom of Avalor from their evil former queen, Shuriki.

end of flashback

Armando: I really hope I'm not doing anything to offend you by telling you about this, Princess Batilda, but Avalor was once invaded by a moth fairy from the spirit world by the name of Orizaba. She came during the solar eclipse and tried to bring about eternal night. She had wings, also. Moth wings, though, not bat wings like yours. I mean, if that offended, in any way, I'm truly, very sorry.

Batilda had only heard stories about Orizaba, but she stopped believing they were true when turned 96. (A/N: the age of 96 may be very old in human years, but in the years of a bat humanoid like Batilda, such an age is actually sort of like the age of 10-12 in human years.)

Batilda: I've only heard about Orizaba from my parents, but I sort of stopped believing them when I was around 10-12 bat humanoid years old.

Armando: What exactly were those stories of her like? What was her link to all of your people?

Batilda: It happened hundreds of years back in the past. Orizaba was once a friend of Isla de la Monstrosa, but quickly became an enemy. A young Orizaba was in line to rule a certain district of our little island kingdom, but she wanted more. Charoca's ancestor, Magmaya, foretold that after conquering the mainland kingdom of Maru and then the entire world, she would return to our island kingdom of Isla de la Monstrosa to conquer it, as well. Magmaya also foretold the alternative outcome of Orizaba's lust for conquest. She foretold that Orizaba would be locked in the spirit world by powerful Maruvian wizard, only to be released from the spirit world every time a solar eclipse came to the kingdom, but Magmaya never could have foretold what came next. Orizaba set out to insure herself of obtaining her first possible fate, but what she did next only made her bound to her second possible fate.

Armando: She wound up being trapped in the spirit world by the Maruvian wizard after she became an enemy of your kingdom.

Batilda: In deed, and having once been dear, old friend of my kingdom made the betrayal of her attacking Maru and her own home cut that much deeper.

Armando: I don't know if it'll hurt your feelings, but I'm curious. How old is that in human years?

Batilda: It's not gonna hurt feelings because age wise questions don't really do much to offend our kind. I just don't wanna surprise or scare you when I tell you the answer.

Armando: Please, tell me. I promise you, I won't be too shocked when you tell me.

Batilda: OK, but don't say I didn't try to warn you. 10-12 in bat humanoid years is the same as 96 in human years.

Armando was so shocked, he broke his word to Batilda by freaking out, then almost fainted. Batilda helped him pull himself together and keep it together.

Armando: How can any kind of creature be that old while looking that young?

Batilda: I tried to tell you'd be a little too surprised for your own good, and you said you wouldn't be too shocked upon hearing the answer.

Armando: I'm not the least bit shocked about it. Just because it sounds like you're a vampire, doesn't mean you are. You're just a bat humanoid.

Batilda: Wrong again. I am a vampire. My real mission in getting Shuriki out of Avalor is so that my family can fine dine on her blood.

Armando: You really are a vampire? You're trying to bring someone home with you to eat?

Batilda: Actually, I'm trying to bring Shuriki home for my family to drink all her blood. Shuriki and only her.

Armando: Well, I guess since it's only Shuriki you wanna take home for dinner, I suppose you're OK to do that.

Batilda: If it makes the royal family of Avalor feel any more secure about letting me into the kingdom, my kind and I only drink the blood of people who've done nothing but evil deeds. My father had the entirety of all the kingdom's vampire bat humanoids take the blood vow to never, ever even try to feed on the blood of innocence. It never matters if we might secretly crave that sweet kind of blood, we have to be strong and only eat bad people who actually did a lot to deserve to have their lives ended.

Gabe: So, why make the blood vow? Why do you need to starve yourself of what you want?

Batilda: We needed the blood vow because drinking the blood of innocence was the reason the people of the world outside our kingdom judged my kind as monsters in the past. My father's blood vow makes my kind actually capable of saving more lives than we take. Once we've started to drink a human's blood, we can never stop drinking it. Many of my people have tried to achieve this deed, none have ever succeeded. It's just impossible for us.


	11. The Gross Truth about Fernando

Armando, Gabe and the rest of the palace staff would never believe it, but Batilda was telling the truth. A meal for her kind was harder to control than it seemed. Once a vampire bat humanoid started to drink human blood, none could ever stop. Many of Batilda's kind have to stop drinking human blood once they started before said humans wind up dead, but no vampire bat humanoid had ever successfully stopped the process.

Gabe: So, if you need to eat someone evil, why not go for the false prince of the non-existent kingdom?

Batilda: There's actually 2 problems with that idea; 1. He's not really evil, and 2. Not only is he not a real prince, but he's also not a real human.

Gabe: I must still have a bad concussion because it sounded like you said he wasn't a real human.

Batilda: Your concussion has worn off, Gabe, and I did say that Prince Fernando wasn't a real human.

Armando: What are you saying? That the false prince isn't really there? Because if that's the case, shouldn't Princess Elena not even see him at all?

Batilda: I'm not saying that he's not really there, I'm only saying that he's not a real human.

Gabe: What do you even mean by that, he's not a real human?

Batilda: What I mean by that is that he's really an evil Shuriki-drone in disguise with raw sewage as his internal fillings.

With that knowledge in mind, Batilda's explanation about the false Prince Fernando made even Armando feel sick to his stomach after hearing such a thing.

Armando: I think that insight just grossed me out enough to give me the need to vomit.

Armando went to the kitchen to vomit in the sink. His face wasn't looking so good when he got back. Batilda gave Armando a handkerchief rag from her pocket to wipe his mouth area off with.

Armando: Thank you very much, Batilda.

Gabe had to be strong, so he pushed his vile back down his throat. Batilda still noticed that Gabe felt sick from the information about the prince pretender, Fernando. She noticed he got sick from the information, too, because he had a rather raspy, scratchy voice when he replied to Armando's sudden sickness. It was just like a kind of voice spoken by someone who had vomited in their mouth, a liquid belch.

Gabe: Wow, Armando! I never thought you could get that sick from hearing such information, and here I always thought you don't get grossed out so easily.

Batilda: You do know I can tell that you had to be sick, too, right?

Gabe tried to hide his shame in feeling a worse kind of sickness to the information than Armando did.

Gabe: What are you talking about? I didn't feel sick about that information 1 little bit.

Batilda: I can tell you felt sick just from hearing it because your voice is raspy and scratchy. It sounds like you had to throw up, but you kept it in and pushed it back down.

Gabe: I did no such thing. I just threw up a bit in my mouth, that's all.

Batilda: I can tell that you're lying to me, Gabe. I can also tell you definitely need some water. Don't worry, I can get some. After I get back, you can ask me all you want how I could tell you were lying.

Batilda flew to the kitchen to get water for Gabe. Once she got it and flew back to him and Armando, they both proceeded to asking Batilda how she could tell Gabe was lying, after Gabe got his water in, that is.

Gabe: Thank you, Batilda. So how could you tell I was lying?

Batilda: I can tell if a person is lying just by looking inside their circulatory system.

Armando: You can tell if someone's lying by looking inside their "what"? What is the circulatory system?

Batilda: It's the organ system of the human body that controls the flow of the human's blood.

Armando suddenly got scared at Batilda's mention of blood.

Armando: You don't use such a power for food reasons, do you?

Batilda: No, we don't, such a power is strictly for use of my kind finding out the truth.

Armando was still worried but calmed down a bit at the notion that Batilda didn't use that ability for food, but rather learning the truth. Then, Armando made a special deduction about that power of Batilda's.

Armando: I bet that's how you knew that Prince Fernando wasn't even a real human, much less a foreign prince.

Batilda: That's correct, Armando. When I noticed the faux prince with your crown princess, I could see that their insides were definitely not the same. While Elena had every vital fluid, internal organ and organ system on her insides, her so-called prince had nothing but raw sewage as his internal fillings. I, too, felt sick when I first gained the knowledge of it, and I had seen it for myself, while the 2 of you only heard it from me. Hush now, you 2, we're almost where Elena is so I can warn her.

Batilda was right, they were indeed near where Elena was with Fernando. Batilda was going to help them get Elena's attention away from Fernando. Gabe, however, was far too anxious about getting his beloved back from the faux prince Shuriki had sent to steal her attention away from everything else to wait and make a plan.


	12. Gabe's Jealousy, and the Need for a Plan

Gabe: I'm gonna teach this false prince a thing or 2 about stealing someone else's crush.

Batilda: Gabe, wait! Gabe, please wait!

Batilda then flew in front of Gabe in order to stop him from hurting himself like the previous time he tried to separate them.

Batilda: You shouldn't rush out towards them, especially considering what happened to you the last time you tried to intervene. The fake Prince Fernando of the kingdom of Zoratan is dangerous, and he's been sent by Shuriki to make Elena lose her focus on her goals and duties to the kingdom of Avalor. I believe the last time you tried to stop them from getting this far together, you wound tripping over that overripe banana peel and sliding into the wall with all those injuries.

Gabe: How do you know about the banana peel? Did you drop it on the floor?

Batilda: Although my kind admittingly takes breaks from drinking blood when we need our vitamins and drink the juice from fruits, I had nothing to do with the banana peel you slid over into that wall. I saw Fernando drop that banana peel on the ground.

Gabe: If you saw it, then where you when it happened? Why didn't you warn anyone that Fernando was littering, too?

Batilda: I was roosting in the shade when I saw him toss that banana peel into your path. I've also been waiting for all the staff to be at the palace ever since I arrived here. I was waiting on you like everyone else at the palace was.

Armando: How long have you really been at the palace?

Batilda: I've arrived in Avalor 3 days ago, and I arrived at the palace of Avalor just 10 hours before Gabe came back to the palace after his incarcerated coma of heartbreak.

Gabe: So, you've actually been in Avalor longer than you've made your presence known to us.

Batilda: I'm a vampire bat humanoid. I have to travel at night because the sun isn't as friendly to me as it is to you. But, back to the matter at hand. We need to get Elena away from Fernando, and she can't be allowed to kiss him.

Elena kissing another guy would have been Gabe's worst nightmare become reality, but now he had a reason to stop such a thing from happening other than his own reason.

Gabe: Not to beat around the bush, but what exactly would happen if Elena let Fernando kiss her?

Batilda: You're not gonna like it, and it's the real reason Shuriki sent her false prince of a drone to charm her into a submissive state. If Elena kisses Fernando or lets him kiss her, his internal fluids of raw sewage will flood her entire body until she's dead.

Gabe was now more than ever determined to save his beloved crown princess from the evil clutches of Shuriki.

Gabe: I've gotta do something to prevent her from kissing that faker.

Batilda: And what if Fernando has something in store for you this time, too? Let me try to handle this, and only come to the spot if I call you for help.

Armando: What about the sun? You said yourself that it's not as friendly to you as it is to us.

Batilda: The sun doesn't burn my flesh if that's what you're thinking it does to me, Armando. The brightness of the sun just hurts my eyes. So, I'm gonna just close them when I step outside.

Armando: How will you be able to see where Elena and Fernando are, much less where you are going without your eyes?

Batilda: I'm not just a vampire, I'm also a bat. I'll use my signature echolocation to listen my way over to where they are.

Batilda stepped out into the sun where it did indeed hurt her eyes, so she had to close them. She made her way over to Elena and Fernando perfectly using her echolocation. Not only did she use her echolocation that well, Batilda also stopped Elena from kissing Fernando with her cheeks. It was sweet on Elena's side, but painful on Fernando's side, but it wasn't quite painful enough to end Batilda's life. Gabe was upset about the bat creature getting a kiss from Elena, but mellowed down after remembering that 1. Batilda was female, and so was his beloved Elena; 2. It was either Batilda's cheek or Fernando's lips, the latter of which would kill Elena; 3. It was just on Batilda's cheek; and 4. After Elena kissed Batilda's cheek, she seemed to snap out of her submissive state, but only a little bit.


	13. Batilda and Gabe vs Fernando

Elena: What is going on here, and who are you? Why did you feel the need to interrupt my first kiss with my dreamboat, Fernando?

Batilda: My name is Batilda. I'm the eldest daughter of a royal family in an island kingdom. I had been sent to the kingdom of Avalor to warn its crown princess of the return of an old enemy of hers.

Elena: Which kingdom do you come from, Batilda, and why are you a giant bat-like creature?

Batilda: I'm a vampire bat humanoid, and I come from the island kingdom of Isla de la Monstrosa. An old friend of my family's actually makes his home under a monfuego near a village in your kingdom.

Elena: Wait a minute, you're a friend of Charoca's from his old home?

Batilda: Yes, that is correct, Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores of Avalor. He left to try to aid the jaquins of Avalor in their first attempt to take down the evil queen Shuriki as a favor from his cousin and the royal soothsayer of Isla de la Monstrosa, Charica. However, his intentions to help the jaquins were taken the wrong way, so he gave up trying to help them and moved to the mountains where he eventually made his home under the monfuego near the village. His misfortunes didn't stop there, though. The evil Queen Shuriki started to want to take the rocks he created with his lava powers for herself, so that she could get rich from them. Even after the rightful heir to the throne made it back to Avalor after over 4 decades, that still did not stop the children from taking Charoca's rocks and challenging him to face making wars.

Elena: Slow it down a little. I can't keep as fast as that. So, what do you mean by "face making wars"?

Batilda: I see that you don't know that the little boy named Damien, who said that Charoca made a face at him, actually made a face at Charoca first.

Elena: OK, I knew that Charoca didn't like those kids from the village taking his rock friends, but how exactly does that make Charoca angry enough to make the monfuego start to erupt?

Batilda: It makes Charoca angry because of it's something that would make any magma sapien angry. Magma sapiens like Charoca take the action of making a face at them as a challenge. They take that action as a declaration of war, but it can't make a magma sapien angry enough to make a monfuego even begin to erupt.

Elena was going to have to keep that in mind about when Charoca was getting angry towards the villagers.

Batilda: On another note, Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores of Avalor, why do you continue to ignore your family and your friends in favor of a "prince" you've only known for a week?

Batilda used her wings to make air-quotes at the mention of the word "prince", she was being so sarcastic about Fernando's authenticity as 1.

Elena: Have I really been ignoring everyone in favor of my crush on Prince Fernando?

Batilda: Yes. Yes, you have. You've even been ignoring your own younger sister, Isabel, in favor of Fernando.

Elena: Isabel? How could I have ever been ignoring Isabel? I didn't even think I would ever be even capable of doing such a thing.

Batilda: Your royal guard has returned just today, you know. I've actually been in Avalor for 3 days. I arrived at the palace of Avalor a little over 10 hours ago, and I was roosting under the palace roof.

Elena: How long have I been like this? How long have I been ignoring my people, my family, and friends over Fernando?

Gabe came out of his hiding place from through the doors to help Batilda even if she had yet to actually request it. He wanted to be the 1 to let Elena know how unaware she had been, the ugly, disgusting truth about Fernando, and that he loved her.

Gabe: I can answer that for you, Elena. You've been fawning over Fernando for the past 5 days. I'm just amazed that the bat princess was able to snap you out of it all.

Batilda: It's a simple matter of breaking a mind control. Kiss a vampire bat humanoid, snap the person out of their mind control.

Elena: So, what were you up to while you were gone for 5 days, Gabe?

Gabe: I just felt like sleeping my life away in my parents' house and locked myself up in my old room from before I joined the Royal Guard. I was heartbroken for 5 days over your unjust rejection.

Elena: What about it made you think it was unjust? I finally found my ideal prince, I would have assumed you were gonna be happy if I was happy.

Batilda: I'm sorry to say this, but no, you haven't found your ideal prince. The kingdom of Zoratan isn't even a real kingdom. It's a kingdom made up by Shuriki to trick you with the seemingly perfect prince suitor.

Elena: What are talking about? If it was made up by Shuriki, why would Fernando have said it existed?

Batilda: I'm afraid that's because Fernando works for Shuriki, and not only is he not a real prince, but he's also not a real human.

Elena: What?! Why would he work for her?! If he's not human, then what is he?


	14. The Ugly, Gross Truth Revealed

Fernando decided to stop beating around the bush about Shuriki's plan to take back the throne of Avalor from Elena. So, he made his way to her and held her in his arms.

Elena: Fernando, tell the 2 of them how ridiculous they're being, most of all Gabe.

Fernando: I can fill in that blank, myself, Princess Elena. I'll give you the information you need about Shuriki's plan.

Elena: I knew I could count on you to tell me the truth, Fernando, and I will continue to love you no matter what.

Fernando: Elena.

Elena: Fernando.

Fernando: Actually, they're just being honest about me. I'm simply a Shuriki drone with internal fluids made of raw sewage and a built-in taser for dealing with ugly, clingy girls like you.

Elena was tasered after she realized that her ideal prince really was a fake. She struggled to break free, but Fernando's grip on her arms was too strong. She was unconscious within in a minute. Gabe tried to go after them, but stepped on another overripe banana peel that Fernando had purposely thrown his way and slid into the outside wall this time, making the repeated injuries more painful than the first time. Fernando then left the palace to inform Shuriki of her plan working to their advantage.

Meanwhile, Armando came out from the doorway he hid in while Batilda, followed by Gabe, went over to talk to Elena. He knew they all needed help.

Armando: Is Princess Elena_ dead?

Batilda: No, she's still breathing, but not for long. We need to get her and Gabe to the medical staff in your palace.

Armando: And, what about Gabe? What's wrong with him?

Batilda: All I can say is that this second concussion may wind up causing him brain damage. He needs to be treated as well as her.


	15. Alone Together in the Infirmary

The crown princess and her guard were rushed to the palace infirmary. Their injuries were treated by the medical staff a great deal. It was early evening before either 1 of them finally awoke, the 1 of which was Gabe. Elena followed his wake up call a few seconds after.

Gabe: What happened to me? Where am I? The palace infirmary? How could I have wound up here again?

Gabe gasped at the realization that he'd fallen for the same trick twice.

Gabe: Fernando! I knew he put that banana peel on the floor just for the sake of tripping me the first time, too. Wait! Elena! She needs to be warned about him.

Elena: No need to warn me about him because I already know. I'm here, too, in fact.

Gabe: I thought you were dead when he shocked you. Don't you ever scare me like that, again.

Then, Elena started to cry at her desperation and naivety towards her false beloved. Gabe tried to see what was wrong with her.

Gabe: Elena, I know I was being a bit stern, but there's no need to cry. I was just worried, that's all.

Elena: I'm not crying because you were being stern. I'm crying because I was so desperate to prove to royals like King Hector and his daughter, Princess Veronica, I could find love with a prince that I let my naivety blind me to the fact that Fernando was in deed a fake.

Gabe: Yeah, it doesn't get any faker than a sewage-drone created by Shuriki. I mean, _ ugh, you kissed someone with raw sewage as internal fluids.

Elena: Relax, Gabe. I never kissed him even once.

Gabe smiled a happy, relieved smile at the information.

Elena: But, there were several times that I wanted to.

Gabe: Ugh, that is far too much information, I feel like I might lose my most recent meal over hearing it.


	16. A Visit from Friends and Family

Then, their friends came into the infirmary to check on them, led by Princess Batilda.

Naomi: Thank the Gods, you 2 are finally awake.

Mateo: Everyone was so worried.

Gabe and Elena took a look at their friends, then a look at Batilda. She looked like she was starving.

Gabe: Batilda, what's the matter with you? You look like you're so close to being nothing but skin and bones.

Batilda: You can't let yourselves worry about me, now. You 2 should be thankful I didn't try to eat any of your blood while you were in recovery. I'm more worried about you, right now, Elena.

Batilda took Elena's hands in her own.

Batilda: I smell much heartbreak emanating from the scent of your blood.

Elena: You can tell how someone feels just by smelling their blood?

Batilda: Not just by smelling their blood alone, holding both of their hands in my own is also required. Would you care to speak to your friends and myself of your heartbreak?

Elena: I did tell Gabe, but I guess I could tell Mateo and Naomi, too. I suppose I only fell for Fernando because of my own desperation to prove to King Hector and his equally awful daughter that I could get my ideal prince in an actual prince. But, Fernando turned out to be a fake, and as Gabe said about it, it doesn't get any faker than an evil drone sent by Shuriki with raw sewage as his internal fluids.

Naomi: Yeah, that part of this whole thing was kinda gross.

Elena: I can't believe how stupid I was to give the false prince of a kingdom that didn't even exist every bit of attention I had. I should've known he was working for Shuriki all the times he instructed the kitchen staff to make the food he wanted. From what Esteban remembered about her, those dishes were all foods that Shuriki liked.

Mateo: And yet, you still ate those dishes even when you didn't even like them.

Elena: I was an idiot to pay more attention to him than I did even to my own sister, Isabel. I just, I can't believe how incredibly dumb I was to even trust him with my heart, let alone my life.

Batilda: Are you finished with your trios of miniature rants?

Elena: Yeah, I'm finished talking about him.

Batilda: So, it sounds to me like it was this King Hector's daughter's fault you fell for all of Fernando's brain traps.

Elena: Brain traps?

Batilda: To be more specific about the subject, mind contorl or hypnosis. You were probably under a spell. Good thing you never really kissed him.

Elena: Yeah, but I tried to kiss Fernando on the fifth day we were dating. I never really thanked you for stopping me from kissing him. Uh, why did you rush that fast to stop me from kissing him?

Batilda: I suppose I could let the truth out about that, too. I flew that fast to stop your kiss with Fernando because if you had kissed him, his raw sewage internal fluids would have flooded your body until you were dead. It was actually the real reason Shuriki created Fernando to be your ideal prince. She knew you would eventually want to kiss him.

Elena: So, in other words, this wasn't just a deception. It was also a mission to murder.

Gabe: That is correct. So, what's the plan for stopping Shuriki from taking the kingdom, this time?

Elena: Gabe, everyone, I-I… I've got no plan to stop Shuriki.

Esteban barged in upon hearing this, and was he ever shocked.

Esteban: You don't have a plan? You must come up with something to stop Shuriki from taking the kingdom once again.

Naomi: I never thought I'd be saying this, but Esteban's right. There has to be some way to stop her.

Mateo: Yeah, Elena, you just need to come up with one. We believe you can.

Elena: Well, you guys can stop believing in me, now, because I don't have the emotional strength to come up with a plan to stop her or do anything, right now.

Gabe: I am not OK with all your quitter talk as of late. This isn't even you, at all.

Elena: Face it, guys. Shuriki finally won. I should've just stuck to ruling my kingdom alone.

Batilda: But, you're not alone in ruling the kingdom. You have so many friends and family helping you figure out how to rule the kingdom right.

Elena: I'm ready to give up because Fernando messed up my head and played with my emotions, and I let him. I should've just accepted that there is no guy that can be my king. I should've just accepted that King Hector and his daughter, Princess Veronica, were right.


	17. What is Love?

Batilda: Elena, you're overreacting. I don't know how, but I know there is a guy who can be your king and still love you. Do you happen to know what you can do to earn someone's love?

Elena: I don't even know what love is. I thought I felt it when Fernando came into my life, but I was just infatuated with the wrong guy. I think I was also desperate to prove King Hector and Princess Veronica wrong. So, I can honestly say that I don't even know what love is.

Elena began to cry into Naomi's shoulder. Gabe and Mateo rubbed her back to try to comfort her. Batilda tried to assure her that everything was gonna work out with some information her mother, Queen Chiroptina, had given her daughter before the girl's mission in Avalor began.

Batilda: I admit I don't know much about human emotions, but I know it's OK to be afraid of something, even if you are a royal. Even I was afraid when I first had to come to Avalor. But, my mother told that it's OK to be afraid of something as long as you have the will to face your fear. The way you were described from before your time at King Hector's retreat made you seem very strong-willed.

Elena: Well, that was in the past. I'm not as confident anymore. I wish I'd never accepted the invitation to a second chance at his retreat.

Batilda: Come on, there are guys out there that are so much better for you than Fernando. Guys that are real people, for 1 thing.

Elena: Yeah, right. As if there's any prince out there for me.

Batilda: Who ever said you needed to be with a prince?

Elena: Princess Veronica did.

Batilda: Well, I can tell you for sure, Princess Elena, that King Hector's daughter actually did only say those things about you because she was just trying to make you feel bad about yourself. It's your choice whether or not to believe any of it.

Gabe: The Elena I once knew wouldn't have believed a word of it any way. She would've been strong enough to see it as a false statement. If I had her back, I would let her know I what she means to me every day of her life; I would help her make it through all of the toughest times; I would even tell that she's very beautiful, and that she doesn't need a prince to be her true love and never did.

Elena was in awe of everything Gabe said about her when she was stronger than she was now.

Elena: Gabe.

Batilda: You know what, Your Highness? I think the way your friend from the royal guard is describing you, it seems to me like you never needed to change the way you were in the beginning. I think you already had a possible prince in him.

At Batilda's statement about him being a possible prince for Elena, Gabe rubbed the hair on the back of his head and blushed very hard.

Gabe: I'm sorry, but, Elena wanted a real prince ever since King Hector's royal retreat.

Batilda: From the sound of the way I heard how things went at that retreat, you actually sounded perfect for her. If true love really meant something to you, Elena, it wouldn't matter if Gabe was a prince or not. The only thing about him that you should actually care about from a relationship is if your boyfriend or girlfriend cares about you.

Elena: I never thought of love like that.

Batilda: Just remember this about the road to love; not everyone can find it so easily, but it is something worth searching to find for anyone. There are also some people who might have already found love, and yet, they may have never even known they found it. Another thing I know about love, is that love is coming to someone's defense when it's needed. Love is also putting someone else's needs before your own.

Elena: I can't believe it. It's like I never even knew what love was, and I'm supposed to be a future queen of Avalor. Queens are supposed to be knowledgeable, and the way I ignored everything and everyone around me for someone who wasn't even real turned me into such a fool. To think, when I was first released from the amulet of Avalor after 41 years, I was actually in such a hurry to become queen.

Gabe: Elena, who said you had to be a queen in that way?


	18. The Power of a Bat Humanoid's Kiss

Elena: Now that I think about it, it was Princess Veronica who said that, or something close to it.

Batilda: You don't have to be that kind of ruler, and you don't need a royal to be the king that rules by your side. You never did need a prince, and you never will need another royal to be your king. Whatever Princess Veronica told you, she probably just said to put you down and give you grief.

Elena: You seem to know an awful lot about what happened at the retreat, Batilda.

Batilda: When you kissed my cheek, it may have broken the mind trance that false prince had you in, but it gave me something in return.

Gabe: What did her side of that kiss give to you?

Batilda: When a human kisses a vampire bat humanoid, not only does it break their trance, but it also gives said vampire bat humanoid a glimpse of the situation which led to the root of the problem.

Elena and Gabe were a bit confused by this.

Batilda: When Elena kissed my cheek thereby curing her of her trance, I got a look at the situation from the royal retreat which caused her to become Prince Fernando's love puppet.

Gabe: So, in other words, you saw everything that happened at the royal retreat through Elena's memories.

Batilda: That is 1 of 2 things that happens when a human kisses a vampire bat humanoid. At least, I could help with all of this before Fernando, the faux prince, was able to kiss Elena on the lips.

Elena: I admitted that I never kissed him, didn't I?

Gabe: However, you also admitted that you wanted to kiss him.

Elena and Batilda: Gabe!

Gabe: What? It's true!

Elena: This isn't the time for it, though.

Gabe: Right! Speaking of Fernando, where is he and what happened to him? Did he finally leave the castle?

Batilda: Yes, he did, although probably to join up with Shuriki and her assistant, Valeria.

Gabe was suddenly terrified to ask, but he still asked about the assistant to Shuriki, anyway.

Gabe: Valeria? Valeria Rodriguez? Wait, how do you know that Valeria's working as Shuriki's assistant?

Batilda: I saw them near Shuriki's hideout on my way to the palace from the monfuego. Why? Do you know the assistant to the murderous sorceress?

Elena: She was pursuing Gabe when I met her. Gabe seems to think of her as his stalker.

Batilda: That 26-year-old woman is stalking a teenage boy who's 19? That does sound creepy.

Gabe was breathing very hard all of a sudden at the thought of Valeria Rodriguez teaming up with Shuriki. His breaths were heavy, yet shallow.

(A/N: yep, he's freaked, alright.)

Gabe: I told you Valeria Rodriguez was a sick, twisted person. As long as she can get her hands on me, it doesn't matter to her who gets hurt or worse along the way.


End file.
